SSI attorney Boston

January 20, 2018

SSI Applications and Appeals in Boston

Applying for Supplemental Security Income, or “SSI,” seems like it should be a quick and easy process. The reality is most cases involve a long, drawn-out process during which an unrepresented claimant is at a major disadvantage. Seeking help from a dedicated SSI attorney in Boston can give you an edge and help guide you through what is often a confusing bureaucracy.

The process begins with filling out an application for Supplemental Security Income benefits with the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).

The requirements for applying for Supplemental Security Income are that you must fit into one of the following categories:

A disabled adult
A disabled child
A person over the age of 65

In the case of a disabled child, it will be a parent or other guardian who actually completes the application and handles the matter on the behalf of the child during the entire process. This does not mean that they cannot not also obtain an attorney, which is a good idea and there is no reason no to do so. Continue reading

March 17, 2017

Disabled SSI Recipients Given a Chance to Build Savings

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Up until very recently, recipients of SSI benefits – or Supplemental Security Income – were not allowed to build any sort of savings account beyond $2,000. Many have long argued this is a grave disservice, particularly for those individuals who are able to work to some degree.

But as The New York Times recently reported, recipients risked losing their much-needed benefits if they started to compile even a meager savings beyond that $2,000. Take, for example, the 27-year-old man with Down syndrome profiled. He works two jobs – one folding towels at a local gym and another taking tickets at a nearby movie theater. However, he was never allowed to keep more than $2,000 in the bank at any given time, otherwise he’d lose the SSI benefits on which he heavily relied.

Now, a new kind of savings account is giving this young man and others an opportunity to begin saving more cash. It’s called an ABLE account, and it allows people with disabilities and their families to save up to $14,000 annually – without losing any benefits. Continue reading

October 6, 2016

Taylor v. Colvin: Social Security Disability Appeals

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

In Taylor v. Colvin, a case from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, claimant was a woman in her 20s who was tested to have an IQ between 70 and 75. This was in addition to her already diagnosed intellectual disabilities. Court records indicated that during the last year she attended high school, she was performing at a fourth grade level in math. She attained a fifth grade level in reading, and had a grade seven writing level. She was in special education and was having difficulty with the program.

Her special education teacher testified at the eventual hearing that claimant had a lot of difficulty following directions, and would struggle greatly when new academic concepts were introduced to her. When she felt something was difficult, she would emotionally shut down and not be receptive to learning how to do the new tasks. She also had problems caring for herself, according to her teacher. Continue reading

September 17, 2016

Alvarado v. Colvin: Social Security Disability Appeals

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

In Alvarado v. Colvin, a case from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, claimant was born in 1967 and first began receiving disability benefits from the Social Security Administration in 1993. The reason for obtaining a disability rating was due to having serious medical impairments that began around the time he was born.

The type of benefits he received are known as Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The United States Social Security Administration (SSA) administers this SSI program, and these benefits are for children of low-income households who suffer from serious medical conditions, disabled adults who have never worked before due to a disability, elderly individuals and those who are blind. Continue reading

September 16, 2015

Social Security Disability Benefits Options Help Children with Cancer

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Anyone at any age can develop cancer without prior warning. While many people may not be aware of this unfortunate fact, each year thousands of newly diagnosed cancer patients in the United States will be under the age of 20 at time of diagnosis, according to a recent news feature from Tribune Star. Many of these victims are young children. It is hard to imagine anything worse than being told your child has cancer, and, as September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness month, it is worth taking a brief moment to think about these young victims and their families.

While many people are aware of the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program, which is designed to proved benefits for disabled adults who can no longer work due to a disability, many are not aware of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, also administered by the Social Security Agency (SSA), and how it may be able to provide benefits to families caring for a child diagnosed with cancer. Continue reading

August 28, 2015

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Disability Benefits – A Closer Look

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits are available to workers who paid taxes long enough to have “paid into the system” and have become disabled for reasons other than an on-the-job injury. On-the-job injuries are typically covered by workers’ compensation benefits.

However, in the case of disabled children, the elderly, and blind individuals, it may be difficult or impossible to qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits due to the fact these people may never have worked, or even if they had worked at one time, had not worked long enough or recently enough to have paid into the system. One can only pay into the system by working enough fiscal quarters immediately prior to becoming disabled, and thus having earned enough quarterly credits. Continue reading

July 10, 2015

Social Security Disability Benefits for Children

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

When people think of the Social Security disability benefits program, they are normally thinking of the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. SSDI is a program where workers have taxes withheld from their paychecks each pay period. Some of the tax withheld goes to federal and state income and some goes to fund federal benefits programs like the Social Security programs. However, the money is then further divided and some goes to fund the Social Security retirement fund and some goes to fund the Social Security disability programs. SSDI is one of these programs.

After paying taxes by working for a specific number of fiscal quarters in a row, workers earn credits into the SSDI program. Essentially, every worker is paying a premium for disability insurance in case that worker suffers an injury or illness that causes a disability and prevents that person from working full or part time. Continue reading